Discover The God Who Believes In You

Transcription

1 Discover The God Who Believes In You

2 I AM LOVED The most basic fact of the Bible is that there is a God. He made everything that is, including you, and loves you with an everlasting love. God has loved you from the first and has loved you at your worst. God loves you so much He never wants to be separated from you. That s why one of the great verses in the Bible is John 3:16 and 17. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. There is nothing you can do for the rest of your life that will make God love you more than He loves you right now. To as many as receive Him, to them He gave the power to become the children of God (John 1:12). Receive God and serve God. Not to win God s approval, but because you already have His costly love. Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die, says Jesus. God s love is forever. The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving kindness. JEREMIAH 31:3 Listen to me, all of you in far-off lands: The LORD called me before my birth. From within the womb he called me by my name. ISAIAH 49:1 But now the LORD who created you says,... Don t be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up - the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, your Savior. ISAIAH 43:1-3 Jesus, thank you for your love. Let me renew myself in it every day that I live. Amen. I AM FORGIVEN God, who loves us, created us to have a fulfilled life. However, God did not make us as robots who would automatically love and obey Him. We,by nature, choose to disobey God and live life our way. This creates distance between us and God. The good news is that the Bible also says, If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9). You are loved and can be forgiven! So there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit - and this power is mine through Christ Jesus - has freed me from the vicious circle of sin and death. ROMANS 8:1-2 What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us? Since He did not spare even His own Son for us but gave Him up for us all, won t He also surely give us everything else? ROMANS 8:31-32 My little children, I am telling you this so that you will stay away from sin. But if you sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. His name is Jesus Christ, the one who is all that is good and who pleases God completely. He is the one who took God s wrath against our sins upon Himself, and brought us into fellowship with God and He is the forgiveness for our sins, and not only ours but all the world s. I JOHN 2:1-2 Lord, I ask you to forgive anything I have done that was not pleasing to you. By faith I receive all the forgiveness I need. Amen. I HAVE A FRIEND I have a friend in Jesus. Jesus...became a human being and lived here with us...from Him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us (John 1:14). I can have a personal relationship with God through His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is God in human form. By asking, I am inviting Jesus into my life. I can experience the true friendship of God everyday. The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. And you are My friends, if you obey me. JOHN 15:13-14 But God showed how much He loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. ROMANS 5:8 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together. REVELATION 3:20 Jesus, I open the door of my life and I invite you in. I am thankful for your friendship. Amen. I BELONG Jesus has called me out of my loneliness and separateness. Come to me, He said, I will give you rest. Now I will never be alone again. He has promised never to leave me or forsake me. I am part of the family of God. I experience and enjoy this through companionship and celebration with God s people. If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to Me and I will give you rest. MATTHEW 11:28 Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. HEBREWS 13:5 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you, now remain in My love. JOHN 15:9 And so I am giving a new commandment to you now. Love each other just as much as I love you. Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are My disciples. JOHN 13:34-35 Jesus, by faith I trust that you will never leave me. I welcome you into my life. I thank you for your church and my brothers and sisters, who also love you and serve you. Amen.

3 I AM EMPOWERED Many are afraid of not being able to keep up with their commitment to Jesus Christ. They say: Many times I have made resolutions and I have failed. This time it is different. First, because God is not a policeman but a personal Lord who will forgive me every time I fail. Secondly, because as I open my heart to God, His presence and His power come to live within me. This power will help me to overcome temptation and to tell my friends of my new experience. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me (Acts 1:8)....We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Romans 8:37 Now glory be to God who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. EPHESIANS 3:20 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. PHILIPPIANS 4:13 What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31 So don t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. LUKE 12:32 Lord, when and where I have failed, forgive me. I open my heart to your presence and power. Lord, come into my life and strengthen me. Amen. I CAN CHANGE My mind is being redirected, my heart made new. I am seeing things in a fresh light. My burdens are being lifted, my fears diminished. I am turning around. Life is worth living. I have a purpose. I am shaking off bad habits. I am a wholly different person. Each day that we live, He provides for our needs and gives us the strength of a young eagle. PSALM 103:5 But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ISAIAH 40:31 Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ, because there is Someone in your hearts who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world. I John 4:4 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. PHILIPPIANS 4:13 Don t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remake you so that your whole attitude of mind is changed. Thus you will prove in practice that the will of God is good, acceptable to Him, and perfect. ROMANS 12:2 Lord Jesus, I invite you to place your thoughts and your desires in my mind. I invite you to help me become everything you want me to be. Amen. I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE I can make a difference through God s Spirit at work in me. This gives me confidence and inner peace. It is God s love, expressed through me as His child, that will change the direction of my life. This will be a positive influence in the lives of others with whom I share God s love. And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns. PHILIPPIANS 1:6 God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery, which is, CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY. COLOSSIANS 2:7...All power in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. You, then are to go and make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you and, remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. MATTHEW 28:18-20 Father, through your Spirit, work in me. I want to make a difference in my world. Carry out your good work, in me and through me, in Jesus name. Amen. IWILL BE HELPED IN MY WALK WITH GOD AS I READ A PART OF THE BIBLE DAILY The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone. II TIMOTHY 3:16-17 AS I TALK WITH GOD REGULARLY If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from Me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. MATTHEW 11:28-30 AS I SUPPORT THE CHURCH WITH MY WEEKLY ATTENDANCE, AND MY RESOURCES Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the LORD s coming is getting closer. HEBREWS 10:25 Let everyone give as his heart tells him, neither grudgingly nor under compulsion, for God loves the man who gives cheerfully. God can give you more than you can ever need, so that you may always have sufficient for yourselves and enough left over to give to every good cause. II CORINTHIANS 9:7-9 AS I SHARE WITH OTHERS MY NEW LIFE IN CHRIST But in your hearts set apart Christ as LORD. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. I PETER 3:15 AS I GIVE MYSELF TO OTHERS THROUGH SCHEDULED AND RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in Heaven. MATTHEW 5:16 Lord, help me to walk in a way that is pleasing to you. Amen.

4 Further reference for you -- you are encouraged to read these Biblical references to help grow your faith in God and Jesus Christ. I AM LOVED Jeremiah 31:3 Isaiah 49:1 Isaiah 43:1-3 I AM FORGIVEN I John 1:9 Romans 8:1-2 Romans 8:31-32 I John 2:1-2 I CAN CHANGE Psalm 103:5 Isaiah 40:31 Romans 12:2 Philippians 4:13 I John 4:4 To participate in the Crystal Cathedal s online prayer community, go to I HAVE A FRIEND John 15:13-14 Romans 5:8 Revelation 3:20 I BELONG Matthew 11:28 Hebrews 13:5 John 15:9 John 13:34-35 I AM EMPOWERED Romans 8:37 Ephesians 3:20 Philippians 4:13 Romans 8:31 Luke 12:32 I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Philippians 1:6 Colossians 2:7 Matthew 28: I WILL BE HELPED IN MY WALK WITH GOD II Timothy 3:16 Matthew 11:28-30 Hebrews 10:25 II Corinthians 9:7-8 I Peter 3:15

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